Firefighters working on the East Evans Fire have reached 48% containment Tuesday night, nearly hitting the halfway point of mop-up operations. The fire, located on the 18000-block of East Evans Creek road, is a total of 155 acres.
Crews continued to make significant progress on Tuesday, completing 200 feet of mop-up into the fires perimeter on both divisions; that work will continue into this evening. Due to the consistent progress, resources on the fire are decreasing overnight; seven crews, six engines, and four water tenders will take over the lines, for a total of 175 personnel dedicated to the fire.
Tree fallers have also made great progress on mitigating hazards on the fire, falling approximately 70% of the snags that posed a risk to firefighters. Dead and dangerous trees have been a concern on the line for firefighters; these efforts have increased safety on the line.
Nearly 30 residences in the area remain under a LEVEL 1 (BE READY) evacuation notice, ordered by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO). A roadblock remains in place at East Evans Creek road between May Creek road and Meadows road; only residents and emergency personnel are permitted through.
The investigation on the cause of the East Evans Fire is being handled by the Office of the Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSFM) and Oregon State Police. It was initially reported as a structure fire at approximately 2 p.m. Friday, August 2.
ODF Southwest Oregon District is greatly appreciative of our partnership with the Medford District BLM on this fire, as well as the efforts made by our partner agencies, including the Rogue Valley Fire Chief’s Association, OSFM, Oregon State Police, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Jackson County Fire District Five, Mercy Flights, Jackson County Roads, and Jackson County Emergency Management.
Updates on the East Evans Fire can be found on our Facebook Page: @ODFSouthwest.